VERO BEACH, Fla. — The Indian River County Sheriff's Office said it has used genetic genealogy to identify a woman whose body was found in a canal beside a state road more than 40 years ago.

"For 42 years the Indian River County Sheriff's Office has referred to her as 'Jane Doe.' We don't know who she is, but every year we memorialize her," Sheriff Eric Flowers said Tuesday during a news conference. "Folks, we gave her her name back. We did it. Her name isn't Jane Doe anymore."

Flowers said deputies have identified Evelyn Lois Horne Townsend, of Perry, as the woman who was found shot to death on Sept. 1, 1982, along west State Road 60.

Flowers said his office used genetic testing to identify a half-sibling who confirmed that Townsend, born on May 9, 1939, was indeed the missing relative.

You can read more in an article by Aja Dorsainvil published in the wptv.com web site at: https://tinyurl.com/yeyvhkbs.